The treatment goals of atrial fibrillation (AF or AFib) start with a proper diagnosis through an in-depth examination from a physician. The exam usually includes questions about your history and often an EKG or ECG. Some patients may need a thorough electrophysiology study.
Prevention and Risk Reduction
Although no one is able to absolutely guarantee that a stroke or a clot can be preventable, there are ways to reduce risks for developing these problems.
After a patient is diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, the ideal goals may include:
Restoring the heart to a normal rhythm (called rhythm control)
Reducing an overly high heart rate (called rate control)
Preventing blood clots (called prevention of thromboembolism such as stroke)
Avoiding atrial fibrillation and subsequently lowering your stroke risk can be as simple as foregoing your morning cup of coffee. In other words, some AFib cases are only as strong as their underlying cause. If hyperthyroidism is the cause of AFib, treating the thyroid condition may be enough to make AFib go away.
Doctors can use a variety of different medications to help control the heart rate during atrial fibrillation.
"These medications, such as beta blockers and calcium channel blockers, work on the AV node," says Dr. Andrea Russo of University of Pennsylvania Health System. "They slow the heart rate and may help improve symptoms. However, they do not 'cure' the rhythm abnormality, and patients still require medication to prevent strokes while remaining in atrial fibrillation."
Hello All, Great site! Just read a lot of info that I find very helpful. I have always had the "storm in my chest" feeling as long as I can rememner (I am 61) but never came out to be AFib until today....bittersweet I guess. My Cadio mentioned Elequis and come back in a Month, then he wants to do some sort of "shock" treatment at the Hospital, sounds like I am medicated and then like a defibralator, my heart is shocked "back into sync" and he says this has a pretty good sucess rate.
I didn't see anything about it here....I mentioned abilation, he said he wanted to do this first. He also gave me a brochure on the "Watchman" from Boston Scientific, which is basically a strainer/fill plug that takes up the space where the blood pools and also has a good sucess rate? Anyone had either of these proceedures done?
Thanks for your time, look forward to responses. By the way I am a CPAP user (very compliant) and a bit overweight, light coffee drinker (1 a day), non-smoker and no drugs or alcohol, diabetic type 2 with a pump, under control.
Last Wednesday I woke up and was sitting in bed. I felt my heart beating oddly and after that my chest felt uncomfortable, I told my sister how I was feeling and at that point my heart started beating really fast. I thought I was having a heart attack and was about to die.
Sister took me to the ER where they checked my pulse and put me on an IV I hadn't been told what it was until I was moved to the Hospital, I wasn't allowed to walk and then I was told that I was in AFib.
Later that night a nurse said I "converted" and all was well.
The next day I had a ultrasound on my heart done and etc.
The doctors didn't mention anything bad going on and explained that I had AFib probably because of sleep apnea and being overweight. He told me I should work on losing weight and eating better to fix it.
I'm on Eliquis and Diltiazem, I wasn't told how long but was told I shouldn't run out of Eliquis.
I'm still terrified of havhav that happen again and I have no one else to talk to about this.
After having AFib and converting, and being on this medication. What are the possobiliposs of having to experience that again ? I'm trying to exercise more but I'm scared of something happening again.
My husband was recently diagnosed with paroxysmal Afib ( March 2019) He is scheduled for ablation July 15. Husband's normal resting HR is 50-60 --highest with Afib episode was 168. His symptoms were some chest pressure, heart flip-flopping with fatigue.
EP doc had him start taking Multaq for 2 weeks, no help at all. He changed him to Sotalol 6 days ago. His HR is now down in the low 40's possibly lower as the monitor we have at home doesn't register lower than 40. He has been exhausted since starting Sotalol- he takes 160 mg/day. It has caused him some stomach related issues - I have noticed some shortness of breath - more fatigued than before. He actually seems to be feeling worse on the meds than without. He is to go tomorrow to have an EKG -I am hoping he will let them know how he has been feeling the last week. The husband has been down in the dumps and grumpy since taking Sotalol.
EP says he also has tachy-brady syndrome..but says we need to tackle the AFib before the bradycardia.
I think he needs to come off the Sotalol but since I am not a medical pro I may have it wrong. I just want something to help him to feel better NOT make him worse.
Hello All, Great site! Just read a lot of info that I find very helpful. I have always had the "storm in my chest" feeling as long as I can rememner (I am 61) but never came out to be AFib until today....bittersweet I guess. My Cadio mentioned Elequis and come back in a Month, then he wants to do some sort of "shock" treatment at the Hospital, sounds like I am medicated and then like a defibralator, my heart is shocked "back into sync" and he says this has a pretty good sucess rate.
I didn't see anything about it here....I mentioned abilation, he said he wanted to do this first. He also gave me a brochure on the "Watchman" from Boston Scientific, which is basically a strainer/fill plug that takes up the space where the blood pools and also has a good sucess rate? Anyone had either of these proceedures done?
Thanks for your time, look forward to responses. By the way I am a CPAP user (very compliant) and a bit overweight, light coffee drinker (1 a day), non-smoker and no drugs or alcohol, diabetic type 2 with a pump, under control.
Last Wednesday I woke up and was sitting in bed. I felt my heart beating oddly and after that my chest felt uncomfortable, I told my sister how I was feeling and at that point my heart started beating really fast. I thought I was having a heart attack and was about to die.
Sister took me to the ER where they checked my pulse and put me on an IV I hadn't been told what it was until I was moved to the Hospital, I wasn't allowed to walk and then I was told that I was in AFib.
Later that night a nurse said I "converted" and all was well.
The next day I had a ultrasound on my heart done and etc.
The doctors didn't mention anything bad going on and explained that I had AFib probably because of sleep apnea and being overweight. He told me I should work on losing weight and eating better to fix it.
I'm on Eliquis and Diltiazem, I wasn't told how long but was told I shouldn't run out of Eliquis.
I'm still terrified of havhav that happen again and I have no one else to talk to about this.
After having AFib and converting, and being on this medication. What are the possobiliposs of having to experience that again ? I'm trying to exercise more but I'm scared of something happening again.
My husband was recently diagnosed with paroxysmal Afib ( March 2019) He is scheduled for ablation July 15. Husband's normal resting HR is 50-60 --highest with Afib episode was 168. His symptoms were some chest pressure, heart flip-flopping with fatigue.
EP doc had him start taking Multaq for 2 weeks, no help at all. He changed him to Sotalol 6 days ago. His HR is now down in the low 40's possibly lower as the monitor we have at home doesn't register lower than 40. He has been exhausted since starting Sotalol- he takes 160 mg/day. It has caused him some stomach related issues - I have noticed some shortness of breath - more fatigued than before. He actually seems to be feeling worse on the meds than without. He is to go tomorrow to have an EKG -I am hoping he will let them know how he has been feeling the last week. The husband has been down in the dumps and grumpy since taking Sotalol.
EP says he also has tachy-brady syndrome..but says we need to tackle the AFib before the bradycardia.
I think he needs to come off the Sotalol but since I am not a medical pro I may have it wrong. I just want something to help him to feel better NOT make him worse.
Thanks for listening!!